Homo-journo Dan Savage watched last night’s controversial episode of 30 Days and backs GLAAD’s assertion: FX should have censored or further explained Peter Sprigg’s comment that we gays are demented sickos. Writes Savage: …GLAAD is 100% right. Sprigg’s comments come early in the program and linger like mustard gas over every scene that comes after.” Savage also points out that FX and host Morgan Spurlock went on to feature Dawn Stefanowicz, who laments growing up with a gay father. Now, Savage wants you – yes, you! – to file a complaint. [Slog]
Agreement.
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fredo777
I didn’t hear about the Dawn S. segment but I haven’t watched the episode. So, there’s only so much I can complain without seeing the full show. However, based on what I’ve read, it seems sort of biased. Or, at least, it seems as if there would appear to be a bias in favor of the opposition.
Queer "T"
Ugh. I lament growing up with a minister as a father. You can’t choose your parents, so whining about having a gay father shouldn’t be given any weight whatsoever.
Midtowner
I did see the episode and agree. There was no disclaimer or any information that suggested his view was his own. It came across quite blatently as if it were a proven fact. Then when the speaker spoke to the woman who had the Gay father who spoke openly about gay sex and such in front of her, they werent able to seperate the fact that he was a bad father (for speaking open and apparently graphically about sex)and being Gay….
I agree we should file a complaint….
GoodBuddy
See the clip here
http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2008/06/video-so-how-wa.html
CitizenGeek
GLAAD were right, then, it seems. I really wish the gays would appreciate GLAAD; they’re an important organisation, y’know!
Homo Politico
GLAAD is great and they do know what they’re doing most of the time. We can’t throw gargantuan expectations on the tiny organizations that are trying to amplify our voice. We must rally together and support them.
Cait
OK, but isn’t the point of a show like “30 Days” to show things from two differing viewpoints and to explore the gray area therein?
While I don’t agree with Dawn Stefaskldjalkdjakldjanicz’s feelings on gay parenting, I don’t think it took away from the more powerful message that the Patricks were trying to explain to Kati.
Paul Raposo
Spurlock has gone on record as being a conservative “libertarian”. Should we be surprised his show presents gay parents in a bad light?
Paul Raposo
Here’s some info on Dawn Whatsherface
http://tinyurl.com/4kc9ye
Mike
I watched the entire episode, and I have to agree with Glaad on this one. It isn’t so much that Sprigg’s comments should have been censored (after all, they represented the likes of Katie), but they were not balanced elsewhere in the show by someone else with a background in theology or psychology). Furthermore, whereas Dawn Stefanowicz was presented as an adult with the perspective of hindsight, as well some insight as an author; her view was balanced only by a teen, who was presently being raised part time by a lesbian mother. The trouble with the episode was “balance.” Having said all that, I certainly hope that what resonated with most viewers was the callous and heartless perspectives of Americans like Katie, who are so completed blinded with concern for the next life, that they are unable to see the suffering of homeless children in this one.
GranDiva
@Paul Raposo
Hmm. A conservative libertarian who donates $2300 to Barack Obama?
chuck
Obviously, Dawn Whatsherface is an advocate of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
The gay community has become her strawman.
chuck
Btw…I filed four complaints at the behest of Dan Savage.
chuck
This is a copy of a letter I just mailed to Mr. Peter S. Sprigg on his bigoted and hateful comments on 30 Days.
June 25, 2008
Mr. Peter Sprigg
Vice President For Policy
Family Research Council
801 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Dear Mr. Sprigg,
Once again, you have opened your big mouth without putting your brain in gear, and stuck your foot squarely into it. I guess practice makes perfect?
And, once again, I feel the need to stand up and challenge your unfounded, reprehensible claims, lies and distortion of facts for which you and your organization have become so infamous.
This is what you said on last night’s airing of 30 Days on FX.
“Homosexuality is associated with higher rates of sexual promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse, and those are all reasons for us to be concerned about placing children into that kind of setting.†If it’s on TV, it must be true!
I am trying very hard to think of other sins with which to charge homosexuals but you seem to have covered all of the bases quite well on your own. I do thank you, however, for not blaming us, like Pat Robertson and so many others of your ilk have, for being the cause of Katrina, earthquakes, landslides, famines and other natural catastrophes around the world. I’ve always wondered why so many straight people had to suffer and die for our actions? But, I digress.
Not to undermine what you did say, those are still pretty powerful charges and damning statements to be making against any minority group. While there is no credible scientific research that backs your claim – and much that disputes it – the episode presents your assertion as if it were fact and offers no credible social science experts or child health authorities to challenge your assertion.
Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Child Welfare League of America, and many other child health and social services authorities who support parenting by qualified lesbian and gays parents dispute your claim.
Permit me to ask you, Sir. What has any LGBT person ever done to you personally that has compelled you to become a man on a mission with respect to putting the LGBT community down at every possible opportunity?
How would you like it, if the LBGT community were to get on national TV and make such outrageous statements about the heterosexual community? Surely, there would be no lack of qualified heterosexuals who would be deserving of the lambasting you just gave the homosexuals community. And were we to state that we are concerned about placing children into that kind of setting, would we be anymore justified than you?
Or, better yet, why don’t you get on national TV and make similar assertions about black people, Muslims, Jews or any other groups of people who do not meet with your favor? You’d be taken down so fast that your head would spin. But, as long as it is open season on the LGBT community, people like you will continue to have a field day at the expense of others. It must, indeed, be nice to be on a higher rung of the pecking order.
Your Jesus and your God must be shaking their heads in disbelief at the blatant lies, misconceptions and open hatred and bigotry that you and the Family Research Council are propagating. That people like you actually believe that you are going to heaven to sit at the side of your creator after what you have done here on earth is simply mind-boggling. People like you have to be drunk or on drugs to be able espouse such colossal bs.
How arrogant of you to criticize the children of your God. With your ugly comments, you have just slapped your creator and savior in the face.
Be very, very proud of yourselves because it is the only approval you will ever get for your sinful words and actions.
Sincerely,
Scrufffy
In season One, they did an episode called “A Straight Man in a Gay World” where a “a homophobic young an goes to live and work in San Francisco’s largely-gay Castro District.” Very insightful, one of the best produced so far. It seems to me that Mr. Spurlock is open minded and liberal.
Scrufffy
here’s the clip:
http://tinyurl.com/46kzcw